Isaac of Antioch - On the End Times

Again, concerning the final times of Mar Isaac. Truth roused me and, as to one who sleeps, called and awakened me, while teaching me concerning the coming of the final times. He became great for me, and I listened to his words like a disciple; his words filled my thoughts with the teaching of the herald of life. I heard from him the voices that cry out concerning judgment, and the mystery that the prophet now speaks concerning the righteous. He prayed, "Let the youth be purified," and he said to me, "Listen," and he ran, proclaiming all that he said to you to those who hear you. "Open your mouth, boy, and fill it with sweet discourse, words sweeter than honey to his hearers." Instead of a cloak, come, be clad in hearings; and instead of a staff, take the hearing of the sections. If you know the power of the books, or if not, ask, for the end has come. The prophets cry out, and also the apostles. Even nature itself teaches you along with its laws, that its works and its structures are with its forms. Look, then, at your hours and your days, and see yourself, that wickedness reigns, your form comes forth with its companions. An evil king reigned in the land, and behold, he disturbs it. Take refuge in the king of Rome, and he will save you. The sword thirsts for blood, the sword with its servants; it is a mockery if it falls into their hands, for it will also kill you. The sword kills better than the sword, and woe to its slain; the plague strikes better than the sword—where will you flee? For the sword-bearer is choked by the rush, and the plague-bearer by the edge of the sword, by haste and by bitterness. To the sword, evil is better than the sword of the army; to the plague, go out, your heart bursts with tremors. For the whole earth has been destroyed, disturbed by evils: slaughter by the sword, and within the plague, and also the Saracens. Love in the sword, error in the sword, iniquity everywhere; truth is oppressed, and righteousness is hidden from its seekers. The world has grown old.

and he forgot the taste of his youth. At the mouth of the grave he stands and now is gone. The earth is not, and its strength is diminished from the proud. It is time that he might be troubled and also be freed from labors. I was led astray from the path of truth by many. The way of his own self taught everyone, and each went out and strayed. Like a painted image, the creation passed away. For it was in iniquity, and it made me a spectacle of the cast-off. The spirit that is sin blew in the sea of iniquity, and now the wicked have set their ships toward Gehenna. The strong go and go, while sinners go to the snare of the fire, and their heart did not feel their sins in great weeping. A star of darkness became for them a guide to the path of death. Toward it are driven those who abandoned the path of life. Now the sea is stirred up and the dry land is disturbed by their inhabitants. Each one gathers from his fellow wickedness, good from his companion. I saw how the evil one clothed the evil one in his deeds, and the sinner who knows his companion in his folly. I sat, wondered, and placed my hand on my mouth and wept, that the wicked one accuses his companion of his deeds. For I saw that one who envies his companion in thievery, and the defiled one who says, "Woe to the defiled ones who committed adultery." And where is your heart? Or the beginning that you did not begin? Or is shame seen in you, even though you yourself are a doer? The sin of your companion now oppresses you, taking hold of your face. Your own iniquity does not cover you, that you might know falsehood. Let not the names in which you will sin constrain you. It is better that you be accused and not an accuser. Be in your will a deceiver and a magician and without eyes. Hear and be silent, see and be quiet, know and be perplexed. This distinction will be with you that is fitting for you. Your self first will be that which knows in you falls to you. Peace spoke over every son of man as a separate one, and instead of a fool, be beloved in your humility.

The seal of silence was placed upon your mouth in idleness, and the slanderer who accuses you is driven by silence. Again, remain in your land, the world like a seer, and see that all the tumult is full, and preserve your form. There is none who spares you or frees you from evils, for man, according to his strength, is lost from the burden of debts. At the hour of seven, servants gave freedom to servants; in the thousand of sevens, you freed the son of the Lord of all. At the hour of seven, the earth was silent, and orphans devoured it; in the thousand of sevens, give to the needy from your grace. For all the guilty, there was forgiveness at the hour of seven; and for all who sinned, make forgiveness in the thousand of sevens. On the Sabbath, for the weary people, there was for servants and free ones; on your Sabbath, Lord, for the good and the evil, there was forgiveness. Mix the youth with your interpretation and also the deeds; in small measure with words, and add labors with victories. Let there be for you no pride of word, nor scorn, nor disturbance; be content with little, which is easy and sweet in taste. End of the discourse on the last times of Mar Isaac. Again, on the last times of Mar Isaac. Truth summoned me, and as if to a sleeper, it called and awakened me. While teaching me about the coming of the last times, he became great for me, and I listened to his words like a disciple. My thoughts were filled with the teaching of the herald of life. I heard from him the voices that cry out about judgment, and the mystery that the prophet now speaks concerning the righteous. Pray for me, O pure youth, and hear what he said to me, and run and proclaim all that he said to you to those who hear you. Open your mouth, O youth, and fill it with sweet request, words sweeter than honey to his hearers. Instead of a scorpion, come, be baptized in the ears, and instead of a rod, direct your hearing to the verses. If you know the power of the scribes, or ask, for the end has come.

The prophets cry out, and also the apostles. Even nature itself teaches you along with its laws. Its fruits and its seasons, along with its limbs. Look, then, at your hours and your days, and see yourself: that evil counsel has gone forth, your form has departed from its natures. An evil king has reigned in the land, and behold, he has thrown it into confusion. Take refuge in the king of Rome, and he will deliver you. The rebel thirsts for the blood of souls, along with his attendants. He is a deceiver; if he falls into your hands, he will also kill you. The sword kills better than the sword of war; woe to his slain. The plague strikes better than the sword; where will you flee? For the sword constrains the one in the desert, and the mountains, with the company of the sword and with the shepherds. To the sword, evil is better than the sword of the army. Go out to the desert. Your heart breaks from the tremors. For the whole earth has been corrupted by its evil disturbances. A razor in the sword and in the midst of the desert, and also the cold. Bonds in the sword, error in the sword, iniquity everywhere. Truth is pressed, and reality is hidden from its seekers. The world has grown old, and its youth has lost its taste. At the mouth of the grave, it stands with a razor, and behold, it has departed. The earth is not, and its strength has diminished from its pride. It is a sacrifice that you may groan and also be freed from servitude. The path of truth has been led astray by many. The way of the soul, which every person sought, has gone out and gone astray. Like a vine of the vineyard, creation has withered. It has been grafted with iniquity, and on shamelessness it has made its shoots. The spirit that is sinful has blown in the sea of iniquity, and behold, the wicked have set their ships towards the abyss. The bold go forth while sinners are caught in the snare of the mountain, and their heart does not heed their sins in the great lament. A star of darkness became for them a guide to the path of death; towards it the righteous who abandoned the path of life are led.

Behold, the sea is stirred up and the dry land is disturbed in its inhabitants. Every man presses his companion, and good is not with his friend. I saw when the evil head was clothed in evil upon his deeds. And the sinner who loves his companion in his folly. I sat in amazement, and I placed my hand upon my mouth and wept. Because the wicked one accuses his companion of his crimes. For I saw that one who envies his companion in thievery, and the defiled one who says, "Woe to the defilements that the shameless have done." And where is your heart? O wretched one, who has not begun, or a covering is shown to you, and you yourself are a criminal. The sin of your companion is now pressing upon you and seizing you by the face, while your own iniquity does not cover you, that you might know falsehood. Do not let the hearings in which you will sin constrain your soul, so that you may be reprobate and not wretched. Be in your will a deceiver and a sorcerer and without eyes, hear and be silent, see and be quiet, know and be perplexed. Behold, a distinction is with you that is fitting for you: your soul will first be that which falls upon you in you. Peace spoke over every man as a separate one, and instead of a storm, be beloved in your humility. The seal of silence will be upon your mouth in idleness, and the one who eats slander in silence will subdue the accuser who torments you. Again, be separated in your land, a world as a seer, and see that the whole world is full of perversity, and keep your form. There is none who pities you or who frees you from evils, for a man according to his strength is led astray from that which bears debts. In the hour of seven, servants gave freedom to servants, in the thousand of sevens. You free the son of the Lord of all. In the hour of seven, the earth was divided, and orphans ate it, in the thousand of sevens, give to the needy from your goodness. To all debtors, be forgiveness. In the hour of seven, and to all who sinned, make forgiveness in the thousand of sevens. On the Sabbath, rest was for the people, and it was for servants and free men, on your Sabbath, Lord, be forgiveness for the good and the evil.

Mix the youth with your interpretation, and also the deeds. Diminish from words and add labors with victories. Let there be for you no pride of speech, nor falsehood, nor disturbance. Be a friend of him who is of little envy and of sound taste. The discourse is ended. On the End Times, by Mar Isaac.